"Peter" wrote in message
news:1%AUb.188465$nt4.791175@attbi_s51...
The article I saw,
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...853987030.html indicated
that they only use the IFR (I Follow Roads) method on routes that they
flew
multiple times, but that "pigeons use their own navigational system when
doing long-distance trips or when a bird does a journey for the first
time."

Cool. The version I'd read was truncated and omitted that detail.